Let Congress Know We're Watching!

In February, the House of Representatives heard the demands of voters like you and stood up to Bush administration demands for expanded surveillance powers and immunity for big phone companies that broke the law. But now, House leadership is on the precipice of caving in and handing over everything the President has demanded.

Your representative must hear that there will be a major backlash if he or she caves on FISA.

Let your representative know you're watching.





Dear ACLU Supporter,

Late Friday night, the ACLU caught wind of a dangerous backroom deal brewing. The “deal” would rush a House vote that would push through a dangerous sellout on government spying powers, possibly in the next few days.

In February, the House stood up to President Bush’s fear-mongering tactics by letting the so-called “Protect America Act” expire. This ill-named bill eviscerated the protections of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) the law that had defined the rules on spying since 1978 and violated the constitutional rights of Americans.

Please contact your member of Congress right away. Let your representative know you’re watching and expect him or her to stand firm. That means no immunity for lawbreaking phone and internet companies, and no spying on Americans without a warrant.

Tell your member of Congress you expect a constitutional spying bill that protects your privacy.

The Bush administration wants us to believe their spying program is about gathering the data they absolutely needed to fight terrorism. But assurances that the government doesn’t conduct -- and doesn’t want to conduct -- vast dragnet operations are false.

Tell your representative: Congress must not give immunity to phone companies that cooperated with illegal surveillance. And, it must not authorize the Bush administration to spy on you without getting a warrant.

With the help of our members and activists, the ACLU and has been challenging unconstitutional surveillance by the Bush administration since The New York Times broke the story in 2005.
After many twists and turns, the House of Representatives finally stood up to President Bush’s fear-mongering tactics by letting the so-called “Protect America Act” expire in February.

This breakthrough victory for civil liberties came only because ACLU activists refused to yield. Now, we need to make sure all that work isn’t undone by backroom deals.

Urge your representative to stand firm.

From warrantless spying to top-down torture, the Bush administration has subverted the Constitution and betrayed the rule of law. Congress must stand up to Bush administration abuses and bring spying in line with the Constitution.

Let’s make sure every member of Congress knows how outraged we will be if our representatives and House leadership reverse their important February victory.

Please act quickly,


Caroline Fredrickson, Director
ACLU Washington Legislative Office

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